Concerning the fate of the lost: Punishment does not mean the same as punishing. If one is burned up and ceases to be, the punishment is eternal. If the burning was to go on for that individual forever, would it not be called “eternal punishing? The death penalty is different from life imprisonment with no parole. It has been said that Adam was created with eternal life but lost it for all of us. Since then, all humans are born with a body and soul but have to believe (born again) in order to receive eternal life. How then can the unsaved then live forever?

I was recently talking to someone I know about Christianity and my friend said to me that he can’t keep up with all these made up things from Santa Claus to the Easter bunny and even the tooth fairy. How do I respond to this? How can I show Jesus to be the one true thing in all this?

I have recently allowed two of my wife’s brothers to move in with us because they needed help. My wife is pregnant and is completely stressed by them. They have agreed to pay rent but have not done so in the last two months and on top of that I have come to find out that they are addicted to pain pills. They are not Christians and I continue to ask them to attend church with my family but they refuse. I know that I am supposed to serve but I no longer feel like I am serving but rather enabling them. please help.

I would like your ideas on Calvinism and Arminianism. I had someone ask me which I was, and I had never heard of Arminianism, so had to do a little research..I have heard of Calvinism but did not really get into it..I am not sure that I want to be labeled as either. I prefer to just be Christian.

My wife is a non-believer. She claims to be an atheist, but that is hardly possible because she is angry with God because of the hatred and injustice espoused by many who call themselves Christians. I pray that God will enlighten her and draw her to Christ but, to avoid conflict in the home, I fail in my duty to witness to her as much as I should. You and I have concurred that she is in God’s hands, and that all I can do, realistically, is to pray for her salvation.

Yet, I love her, and I fear for her eternal destiny. I keep thinking, what can I do? What can I say (as if there were some magical words I could say at just the “right time” that would suddenly awaken her)? I feel that God will hold me accountable if she is lost. I have grown weary and fail to pray as consistently as I should for her. What will Jesus say to me if she is lost because of my weak faith and my failure to pray as I should? How much am I to blame if that happens?

I would like to know what a mason is. I was told that when my father-in-law was a member of the VFW and the Knights of Columbus that he was a member of a secret society. All his friends belong to the same clubs and all were Christians. I do not understand. People tell me he was a mason and that this was not Christian. Please explain. Thank you for your time and your web site. I have learned much from you.

I believe that have found several references in the new testament that indicate we as Christians are chosen by God to be born again Christians-not the other way around. Do you agree with this or am I way off base? Also, if I am correct I have read nothing in articles about this subject matter. Care to speculate why?

I think it’s interesting that in the Parable of the Ten Virgins Jesus said to the five foolish ones, “I never knew you”. In the Sheep and Goat judgment He says to the goats “depart from me” while in the Sermon on the Mount He says both: “I never knew you–depart from me”. Have you noticed that?

In your reply on “saved through evangelism” dated June 29th, 2010, you referred His will “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life.” John 6:40. OK, but here the point is DOING HIS WILL. If we are not doing His will we would not be in His kingdom . Matt. 7:21 says “Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. “NOT EVERY ONE” this phrase is very important in this verse, some would make it and some would not. Those who say Lord, Lord and do His will as well would enter the heavenly kingdom and those who say only Lord, Lord would not.

I was reading Luke 10:1-24 and was wondering who were the seventy. Who were these seventy disciples? Do we know anything about them as to their names or anything for that matter?